


secret versus truth (which hurts more?)

by SaraJaye



Category: Fire Emblem: Rekka no Ken
Genre: Angst, Cold Weather, Crushes, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/F, Interspecies Relationship(s), Nighttime, Pining, Pre-Femslash, Secrets, myths, stories
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2016-09-04
Packaged: 2018-08-12 21:35:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7949998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Florina was too close to the truth, and sometimes Ninian wished telling her could be so simple.</p>
            </blockquote>





	secret versus truth (which hurts more?)

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt 6 - Secret

"Aren't you cold?" Florina's voice caught her off-guard, Ninian pulling her gaze from the night sky and turning around. It was a thick, cloudy night, no stars visible and the waning moon just barely so. But that faint light was enough for Ninian, and the quiet suited her just fine.

"Ah...no, I'm okay," she murmured. It was freezing, almost as cold as winter nights in Ilia, and she hadn't bothered to wear a cloak. While the desert had sapped her and Nils nearly dry, the cold was comforting. "It's late, Florina, I...ah, thought you'd gone to bed."

"Mm, not yet," Florina said. "It's not so late. But, Ninian..."

"The cold doesn't really bother me...I-I've braved worse." Ninian smiled a little, patting the space next to her. "Will you join me...?"

"Thank you." Florina sat down, draping her thick cloak over Ninian's shoulders. It was soft, but Ninian couldn't help but be disappointed by the warmth. "The last time it was this cold, I'd stayed up all night to wait for the ice dragon in the mountain."

The ice dragon. Even after hearing that story, Florina's assertion that two different beings could get along beautifully, Ninian still couldn't quite wrap her mind around the idea that anyone could worship a dragon. After the Scouring, the historians had gone out of their way to paint dragons as evil beasts driven away by the brave humans.

But the Ilians worshipped the ice dragons, to the point where they made _offerings_ to a mountain in honor of one. Florina had risked her health just to _meet_ that dragon, and every now and then thinking of this made Ninian long to tell Florina her secret. Not for the sake of being worshipped, but because she trusted Florina so deeply, loved to see her smile, and she knew meeting a revered ice dragon would make her smile.

Then, she remembered all the grief and suffering her being an ice dragon caused. Putting herself and Nils in danger, the death of Lord Elbert, the war with the Black Fang, the possible destruction of the world if Nergal got his hands on her and Nils, forced them to open the gate again. Ninian shuddered, _if I told her, she'd realize why we're in this mess...what if she gets angry?_

She couldn't bear Florina's rejection, especially now when being so close to her brought her such joy. Being able to speak so openly with someone as shy as her, the trust built between them on and off the battlefield... _they say never to keep secrets from someone so dear to you, but what if the truth would only bring more pain?_

"Ninian?"

"Ah..." Her eyes met Florina's concerned gaze. "I-I'm okay...I was just thinking."

"About what?" Florina's face was gentle, her soft lavender curls brushed her cheek and her arm around Ninian's shoulders was warm. Not suffocating like the desert or a cloak, but comfortable, familiar, something to lose herself in and feel safe.

"That story, about the ice dragon on the mountain...will you tell it to me again?"

Florina smiled, drawing her closer.

"Of course."

Ninian leaned further into the embrace, her head pillowed on Florina's shoulder and long curls as Florina spoke.

Safe. Warm. She wished time would freeze and they could just stay like this forever, Ninian forgetting about her secret and the suffering she'd caused, Florina's voice soft and clear as she told the story of her revered hero, the ice dragon.


End file.
